Movie-letter camera



Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,203

J: C. STEWART MOVIE LETTER CAMERA Filed May 7, 1924 y 2; Ill

J0/7/7 C fifewa/"f ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOHN G, STEWART, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

MOVIEQLETTER CAMERA.

Application filed May 7,

The invention is a miniature moving picture camera for taking short length films which may also be used as a projector to display the films. i

U The object of the invention is to provide a means for taking short length moving picture films so that a person may take amoving picture instead of writing a description and then remove the film and mail it to another person in order to convey the idea or illustrate the object to him more readily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and elficie-nt device for taking moving pictures or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for taking moving pictures in which the film is contained in a removable magazine. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a removable magazine for a moving picture camera in which a short length of film be contained and moved across an open- And a still further object of the invention is to provide a magazine for moving picture cameras in which the film may be contained 7 which may readily be placed in and removed from the camera and which is provided with a socket that will readily fit over a key 'so that it may be operated with an intermittent motion in conjunction with the shutter. lVith these ends in view the invention embodies a minature moving picture camera having a removable magazine in which the film may be contained and operated, and a means for operating the film in'conjunction with the shutter.

ther features and advantages of the invention will be seen from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view with the cover plate removed.

Figure 2 is a cross section on a line just inside of the side wall oi. the casing.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 2 with parts omitted and parts broken away.

Figure 4 is a front viewof the magazine.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section through the magazine.

In the drawings I have shown my device as it would be constructed wherein numeral 1 indicates the casing, numeral 2 the shutter, and numeral 3 the film magazine.

The casing l may be rectangular or any 1924. Serial No. 711,520.

other suitable shape and may be provided with a cover plate 4 atthe i'ront which is held in place by a rotatable clip 5 and a statlonary clip 6 at the upper end. The cover plate is provided with an opening 7 in front of the lens which I have indicated by the numeral 8. The upper part of the casing is also provided with a cover which is connected to it by hinges 9 and held in place by a latch 10 as shown in Figure 1. Part of the rear and of one side of the casing is also provided with an opening which is formed by cutting the casing at the points 11 and 12 as shown in Figure 3 and connecting this section to the casing by hinges l3 and a clip 14. It will be seen that the'magazine 3 may be removed from the casing by opening this section.

The shutter 2 is rigidly attached to a shaft 15 which is supported in a bearing 16 and provided with a bevel gear 17 which meshes with another bevel gear 18 on a shaft 19 and the shaft 19 which is supported in a bearing 20 is provided with a pinion 21 that meshes with the main driving gear 22. The gear 22 is rotatably supported in a bearing 23in the casing and driven by a gear 24 on a shaft 25 which extends into the casing from a motor 26 that may be placed on the side of the casing as shown in Figure 1. It is understood that this motor may be of any suitable type and if desired a spring motor similar to a clock or phonograph motor maybe used.

The magazine 3 may be stamped from sheet metal as shown in Figure 5 and provided with a cover plate 27, a base plate 28, and side plates 29 and 30. The cover plate will extend from the point 31 shown in Figure 5 to the opposite side of the magazine then downward and then backward to the point 32 andinay be provided with a rectangular shaped opening 33 with a guide plate S l around it which is provided with beveled ends so that it will not scratch the film. The-cover is also held in the position shown by lugs 35 and 36 on the sides 29 and 30 which engage the under side of the plate. The ends are held against stops 37 and 38 which are formed by stamping pieces of metal out of the base 3 and bending them backward and upward as shown. A rectangular, shaped box 39 with an opening 40 in one side may be placed in the central portion of the magazine as shown in Figure 5. J And an opening 41 may be placed in the base in line with the openings 33 811(140 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 and also in Figure A guide 12 may also be stamped 45 in the magazine which en We from the base of the magazine which will extend upward as shown in Figure 5 to prevent the film in this end of the magazine from coming in contact with the sprockets. A spring L3 may be placed on the under side of the cover opposite the guard 42 to hold the film against the sprocket as shown. The back of the casing may be provided with an opening to correspondwith the opening tl of the magazine and a closureas indicated by the numeral l and shown inFigure 3.

- Sprocket wheels l4- are mounted on a shaft a e openings in the edges of the film and move the film from one end or"; the magazine to the other. Itwill'be observedthat the film may be contained; in the magazinewith each end'winding upon itself to form rolls as indicated by the; numerals l6 and 47 and as the sprockets rotate they will draw the film from one roll and the natural curvature of: the film will causeit toiwind upon itself or upon the other roll. It will also be obse vedthat when loadingi the magazine the roll of film may be placedinoneend with one end of the film extending across the sprockets so that it will be. engaged by them and moved as the sprockets are rotated.

Gneend of the shaft/l5 is provided with a socketedas shown in Figure 3which will engageiakey 49 inithe-casing 1 as the magazine I 3 is placed. in thecasing. Although I; have shown a socket and key of this type it is understood that any other suitable means maybeused forpositively, and at the same time removably, connecting the shaft 45 to a shaft 50 upon which the key 49 is mounted. The grooved; member 51, of an intermittent cam is mountedon this shaft- 50 and engages a pin 52 and a flange 58 with an opening 54: in it on'anothor shattfifiwhich is mounted in bearings 56 'and 57 in the casing 1 and-rotatedJby agear 58 from the main gear 22 which is mounted on a shaft. 59. It will be seen that asthe camrotatesin thedirection of the arrow in Figure 2 the pin. 52 will enter one of; the slots and the side membersofi the slot will enter the openingb r so that the shaft 50 willberotated a1 quarter of a turn each time the shaft makes a complete revolution; This will provide an. intermittent mo-' tion for the filmwhich will be timed through the gears to operate. with the shutter 2. It

isunderstood, that any other desired motion maybe used to provide the intermittent movement of the film, V

A wheel 60 with a lug6l onit is mounted on shaft 62as shown in Figure2, and on V th sshaft is; also a gear 63 whichmeshes with themain driving gear 22. This wheel 60 is spaceda slight distance from a disc 64 which is providediwith notches 65 into whichthe lug 61 will operate so thatthe disc 34: will move the distance of one ,notch as the wheel 60 makes one revolution; and as the speed o1 the wheel 60 is regulated so that it will operate with the film, the disc 64 may have enough notches to make one complete revolution as the film moves its entire length. A lug 66 maybe placed on the hub of the disc 64 which wil'llenga ge astog 67 as the disc makes a complete revolution and stop the machine.

A view finder 68 may be placed in the upper part ofthe casing 1 and arranged so that it may be adjusted or focused to difierent distances by; a knob 69 which projects through a slot 70 in the casing.

It will be observed that the end of the shaft 59 uponwhichthe gear 22 is mounted extends beyond the casing as shown in Figure 3. so that a crank may be placed on it to rotate the gear if desired.

It will be understood that other changes may be made intheconstruction without departing from the spirit of the invention. One; of whichchanges may be in the designer the casing; another may be in the design of the magazine; andv still another may be in the means for operating the film in the magazine, inconjunction with the shutter.

The construction will be readily under. stood from the foregoing description. .To use the device it may be assembled, as shown and it willbe seen that, magazines containing film which may be suppliedwith the camera or purchased independently may readily be insorted. or removed. fromthecasing. When it is desired totake a picture a mazagine containing fresh film, is placed inthe casingand it will beseen .thatas the shutter is operated" either by a crank or the motor the film will operatewith it and take the pictures as desired It will also be seen.that after the film is taken the magazine may be removed so that the film may be developed andatter it is developed it may be replaced in the machine and projected on a screen by placing a light in a container at the rear of the casing as indicated by, the in Figure 8.

The magazine is not confined to any particular width of; film and has a: dual use as it maybe usedvfor both negative and positive 7 film as it may be constructed for a film of any width, The negative film may first be exposed, then developed and then replaced in themagazine and, projectedthrough the same machine. 7 i

/ Having thus tully described the inventio n what. I claim as-new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 7 1,. In a motion picture camera, a casing, a

reniovablefilm magazinehaving openings at the ends in which the film maywindup on it self; and a,common pair: of 'sprocketsintermediate of the ends andengaging thesides o1":

dotted lines 71 as shown the film, means for rotating the said.

sprockets an in termittent motion in the said rotatlng means,alens, a shutter cooperating with the saidlens and means for rotating the ends for moving the film from one end to the other thereby providing means for holding and operating a short length of film, said magazine being adaptable to operate the film in connection With the operating mechanism of the said camera.

JOHN C. STEWART. 

